Flood-gate.



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UNITED. STATES PATENT CFFICE.

FREDERICH KESSLER, OF CORDER, MISSOURI.

FLOOD-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 636,046, dated October31, 1899. Application filed September 2, 1898. $erial No. 690,112. (NomodeLi To all whom, it 711,003, concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICH KESSLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Corder, in the county of Lafayette and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flood'Gates, ofwhich the. following is a specification.

My invention relates to fioodgates, and more especially to that type foruse on creeks or streams running through farm properties or onbottom-lands whichat periods are subject to freshets or overflows.

The object of the invention is the provision of a simple, strong,durable, and cheap floodgate which is positive and reliable inoperation.

With this object in View the invention consists in certain novel andpeculiar features of construction and combinations of parts,as will behereinafter described and claimed and in order that it may be fullyunderstood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, inwhich-- Figure 1 represents a stream or creek bridged by a flood-gateembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line II II ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of one of the spring-hingesconnecting the gate proper and the framework.

In said drawings, 1 designates a stream or creek, and 2 2 parts of afence which terminates on the banks of the creek.

3 3 designate vertical posts embedded in the banks of the streamadjacent to the fencepost, and 4 a mudsill connecting said posts nearthe bed of the stream.

The gate proper comprises the vertical boards 5, nailed or otherwisesecured at their lower ends to the cross-bar 6 and at their upper endsto the cross-bar 7, said cross-bar 6 being adapted by contact with theupper ends of posts 3 to arrest the gate when it has assumed itsvertical or operative position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The hinge, of which there maybe any suitable number, is constructed asfollowsthat is to say: 8 designates a plate which is secured to thecross-bars 6 and depends therefrom and has its central portion bentforward and perforated, as shown at 8. Said plate is also provided atits sides or lower corners with the forwardly-projecting ears 9.

l0 designates the hinge -plate, which is bolted or otherwise suitablysecured to the sill 4 and is provided with vertical cars 11, embracingexternally and pivotally connected to the ears 9 of plate 8. The plate10 is also provided with a pair of arms 12 at its lower edge, engagingsockets 14 of the cylinder 13, extending vertically of and bearingagainst the plate 10, said cylinder having its lower end open andprovided with a slot 15 in its upper end, through which'slot projectsthe piston-rod 16, extending axially of the cylinder. Rod 16 is providedwith a hook 17 at its upper end, engaging the perforation 8 of .plate8,and is screwthreaded at its lower end,

A disk or piston 19, having a as at 18. squared head, is screwed uponthe lower end of rod 16, and a coil-spring 20 of the expansive typesurrounds said rod and bears at its opposite ends against the top of thecylinder and said piston in order, with the assistance of the similarspring of the companion hinge or hinges, to hold the gate in itsvertical position with a yielding pressure.

In practice the gate normally occupies the position shown in full lines,Figs. 1 and 2, and thereby renders it absolutely impossible for a hog orother animal to follow the creek or stream and pass the fence-line fromone field into another. In case of flood, however, when the depth of thewater is increased, it is obvious that the increased pressure brought tobear upon the gate causes the latter to swing downward out of the way,as indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 2, and permit logs and driftwoodcarried down by the swiftly-moving stream to pass without injury to thegate. When the water has subsided to a lower plane than the gate proper,the springs 20, overcome by t-heincreased pressure of the swollenstream, expand and return the gate to its original or vertical positionin order that the animals may be unable to pass the fence-line.

If the springs become weakened by use, each may be tensioned by simplyadjusting the disk or piston 19 upon the threaded rod 16; or, ifdesired, the mechanical equivalent of these springs may be employedthatis to say, a weight may be connected to the plates 8 instead of thesprings. It is obvious that other changes in the detail construction,form, or arrangement of the parts may be made 7 ends of the posts 3 whenthe gate is closed, a

pair of hinges connecting the gate with the mudsill, said hingescomprising the plates 10 provided with the upwardly and forwardlyprojecting perforated ears 11, and the arms 12, cylinders 13, providedwith sockets 14 engaged by said arms 12, said cylinders being open attheir lower ends and provided with slots 15 in their upper ends, a pairof plates 8 secured to cross-bar 6 and bent forward at their lower endsand provided with apertures 8, and provided at their sides with ears E)pivoted to the cars 11, )istons 10 fitting in said cylinders providedwith upwardly-projecting stems 16 terminating in hooks 1'7 pivotallyengaged with the apertures 8, and spiral expansion-springs encirclingsaid stems and bearing at their opposite ends against the upper orslotted end of the cylinders and said pistons, all arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

FREDERICII KESSLER.

Witnesses:

O. F. BAR'rnoLoMnEs, L. L. LAKE.

